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Rally supports school board members fighting to keep their seats

Many members of the Williamston community showed their support Wednesday to four school board members fighting to keep their seats in a recall election.

They are targeted for recall because all four voted to adopt the Williamston district's transgender policy.

FOX 47 News' Cryss Walker spoke with both opponents and supporters o the current board.

“Because they stepped up and did the right thing by a group of kids who are really marginalized and if we look at the response from the other side it was really about bathrooms”, said Nicole Ellefson, a supporter of Policy 8011.

Opponent Jonathan Brandt says that claim is not true.

Back in January Brandt told News 10 he started a recall petition drive against the members because he says Policy 8011 creates special programs for transgender students that's not available to the rest of the body.

Supporters of the policy say that's not the case.

“If you are someone who is just really shy about changing in a locker-room you could ask for an accommodation”, said Ellefson.

“Maybe a child has a medical need and they need to have access to a different restroom then they would normally be using during the school day. They can get that accommodation.”

This November Sarah Belanger, Nancy Deal, Greg Talberg and Christopher Lewis will find out if they will remain on the board.

Wednesday Cryss Walker stopped by Brandt's house to get a current statement on his position.

He told FOX 47 News off camera he's supporting a political action group that's pushing four new candidates.

The group, Common Sense in Education states on their Facebook page that they're backing Karen Potter, Walter Holm, Debbie Hutchinson and Craig Hagelberger for the Williamston Community School Board.

Members of the PAC told Cryss Walker they're looking for new leadership that they can trust.
Williamston voters will head to the polls November 6th to decide on who will fill the school board seats.

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